Motorbike convoy and service for late Cambridge mayor Nigel Gawthrope

The life of late Cambridge Mayor, Nigel Gawthrope, will be celebrated with a bike convoy and service next Monday (May 20).

Mr Gawthrope died in January while on a diving holiday in South Africa with his wife, Jenny Gawthrope Wood.

A service will be held to remember him and celebrate his life in Great St Mary’s Church at 2pm.

There is a planned bike convoy to the church leaving Perse Way at or by midday and to arrive at the church by 1pm.

The civic procession will start at 1.45pm from the Guildhall and there will be university procession from Senate House.

One of Nigel’s long standing colleagues, Tony Burke, assistant general secretary of Unite, is giving a tribute along with Cllr Kevin Price.

The Great St Mary’s and Bodywork choirs will be singing.

It is hoped that someone will be riding Nigel’s own Harley motorcycle to the church. His bike will then be placed inside the church while the service takes place along with his ashes.

Senate House has given permission to park bikes in front and behind their building.

Cllr Gawthorpe was a city councillor for seven years after first being elected in 2012 to represent King’s Hedges and then re-elected in 2016.

In May 2018, he was elected Mayor of Cambridge for the current municipal year which ends this month, but he sadly died eight months into his term.